Green design is now mainstream. C3 made an early commitment to sustainability when we became a charter member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Our numerous LEED Accredited Professionals are very active on the council developing and sharing technology on the latest green design thinking.

Linking green design to the owner’s vision

Sustainability and potential LEED certification must always be viewed in the context of the owner’s strategic plan for a property. The benefits to the owner in the form of prestige, building marketability, tenant goodwill, operating costs, and institutional advancement must be weighed against the costs of materials and labor, including the administrative costs associated with LEED certification. Indeed, profound environmental benefits and operational cost savings can be achieved through sustainable design and building practices, with or without formal LEED certification.

Services across the sustainability spectrum

C3 has been involved in numerous LEED projects across the entire USGBC matrix: New Construction (NC), Commercial Interiors (CI), Core and Shell (CS), Existing Buildings (EBOM), and others. For clients considering LEED for their developments or existing buildings, C3 has developed a proprietary three-phase solution, all under one roof:

  1. Analyze where the building stands with regard to LEED before any design decisions or modifications are made. Budget costs are assigned to each LEED point and opinions are rendered as to the feasibility of each.
  2. Detailed calculations, technical review and project submission to the USGBC.
  3. Technical services such as Commissioning, crucial to sustainability and for assuring proper building operations.